OTHS Hall of Fame Press Release
November 28, 2023
The Ottawa Township High School Hall of Fame was established in 2006 by the OTHS District 140 Educational Foundation, Inc. The focus of the Hall of Fame is to recognize excellence in achievement while a high school student, after leaving OTHS, or a combination of both. Further, honorees may or may not have attended Ottawa High but were significant and accomplished contributors to OTHS. Also considered are OTHS teams or groups.
As a result of a nomination and selection process, five individuals and two teams have been selected as 2024 inductees to the Ottawa Township High School Hall of Fame. The inductees will be introduced between OTHS basketball games on January 19, 2024, in the school’s historic Kingman Gym. A banquet will be held to present and honor inductees on Saturday, January 20, 2024. Tickets are $45 and not available at the door – they may be purchased through email and online contacts at smacdonald@ottawahigh.com, kschmitt@ottawahigh.com, othseducationalfoundation.org, as well as OTHS home basketball games 12/15/23 and 1/12/2024. The inductees for 2024 are as follows with additional information to be provided in a subsequent press release.
GARY VANCIL – Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee, and former Head Varsity Coach at OTHS for 13 years, with a winning percentage of nearly 70 percent, winning 7 Regional and 2 Sectional titles, plus reaching the Elite 8 in 1984-85.
DAN EILTS – (Class of 1971) Also an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee, former Ottawa Daily Times Sports Editor, long-time sports historian, statistician, and OTHS supporter.
SUE WILLIAMSON – (Class of 1971) Former OTHS Teacher and Play Director for over 37 years, directing 81 plays at OTHS, Speech Team Coach for 14 years, and English Department Head for 7 years.
DR. HOLLY NOVAK – (Class of 1972) Renowned Cardiologist with over 40 years of clinical experience. Dr. Novak designed and developed a successful cardiac surgery program for a community hospital named among the top 100 cardiac hospitals in the US.
MICHAEL COOPER – Also an Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame Inductee, current OTHS Athletic Director, and former Head Girls Basketball Coach, winning 7 Regional and Conference titles, 410 total victories, most in a single OTHS sport.
1969-70 VARSITY FOOTBALL TEAM – Undefeated and untied 9-0 Pirate Football Team, also won the Lockport Invitational Football Tournament with two shutout victories, and averaged 40.1 points per game, allowing just 6.1 points for opponents.
1996-97 VARSITY GIRLS TENNIS TEAM – Girls Tennis team that was undefeated in dual meets, finished as NCIC Conference Champions, Sectional Champions, and in a tie for 12th in the single class IHSA tournament, behind only 1 downstate school.